George August Xavier Van Dorpe Jr.

George A. Van Dorpe Jr, 84, entered eternal life at 08:20 a.m. on May 18, 2016. He passed away with his wife, Gloria, holding his hand, and his 4 adult children nearby his side.

Born April 11, 1932 in Chicago, Illinois, George was third of four children for his parents George August Xavier Van Dorpe Sr. and Florence Lily Passmore Van Dorpe. He graduated St. Ignatius High School, 1950; Doctor of Medicine, Loyola University 1958; Colorado Doctor of Medicine 1961; US Army doctor of medicine (Korea, retired 1964), and mastered several medical disciplines, such as orthopedic surgery, emergency medicine, and general practice medicine which he practiced for over 50 years. On July 27, 1957, George married the love of his life, Gloria Eilers, and together they raised their family in Colorado. Through his life and works, George helped very many people who appreciate him, and will certainly miss him. To have known dad was to love him.

George is survived by; His wife Gloria Jean Van Dorpe, their four children, Madonna Louise Van Dorpe, Steven Arnold Van Dorpe, George August Xavier Van Dorpe IV (Alexis), and Madelynne Claire Burns (Gary); nine grandchildren, Jessica Biddix (Roman), Jaqueline Sparks (Damon Trottier), James Brewer (Kori), George August Xavier Van Dorpe V, Theodore Steven Van Dorpe, Madison Nicole Mercedes Van Dorpe, Tyler Bush, Melissa Horning (Thomas), and Natalie Hoehn (Ryan); eight great-grandchildren, Elena Kruse (Nic), Riley Martin, Landon Martin, Stephen Brewer, Joshua Brewer, Jonny Brewer, Benjamin Brewer, and Ethan Brewer; and great, great grandchildren Jace Kruse, and Nic Kruse Jr. George is preceded in death by his first son, George August Xavier Van Dorpe III, by his parents George August Xavier Van Dorpe Sr. and Florence Lily Passmore Van Dorpe, granddaughter Joslyn Nicole Van Dorpe, sister Holly, sister Florence, and brother Daniel.

Memorial contributions may be made to American Heart Association at https://donatenow.heart.org/index.html?x=1&utm_source=search&utm_medium=organic&utm_campaign=Donations or National Multiple Sclerosis Society at https://secure.nationalmssociety.org/site/Donation2?df_id=56001&56001.donation=form1.

To share a memory of George or leave a special condolence message for his family, please visit the guestbook below.

EULOGY FOR DAD

Hello, and thank you for reading this celebration of life, the life of George August Xavier Van Dorpe Jr.

George A. Van Dorpe Jr, 84, entered eternal life at 08:20 a.m. on May 18, 2016. He passed away with his wife, Gloria, holding his hand, and his 4 adult children nearby his side.

Born April 11, 1932 in Chicago, Illinois, George was the third of four children for his parents, George August Xavier Van Dorpe Sr. and Florence Lily Passmore Van Dorpe. First was daughter Helen, then Florence, followed by boys George and Daniel. This Van Dorpe family and its siblings lived during the height of the great depression and through World War II, being a part of the greatest generation of America.

Raised by a God loving family, George had a strong faith in our lord, Jesus Christ. And an innate part of his personality had always been that of wanting to help and aide others. After graduating high school from the Chicago, Illinois St. Ignatius High School class of 1950, he turned these energies into excelling at the Loyola University Stritch School of Medicine, in Chicago, Illinois. As he excelled at Loyola in pursuit of his life's goals, George would ultimately meet the lady who is his soulmate and confidant, his wife and beautiful bride, Gloria. Gloria Jean Margaret Mary Eilers (soon to be Van Dorpe!) attended the St. Joseph's Hospital School of Nursing in Chicago. In 1955 she graduated there as a registered nurse, also in a life's pursuit of helping others. On July 27, 1957, George and Gloria were married and began life together in Cicero, Illinois.

George graduated from the Stritch School of Medicine in 1958 and was awarded his Doctor of Medicine degree. Blessings soon followed on August 13, 1958, when the first of their five children, Madonna Louise Van Dorpe, was born in Berwyn, Illinois. She was followed by her little brother, George and Gloria's first son, George A. Van Dorpe III, born July 31, 1959.

1960 found George and Gloria moving their family from Chicago, Illinois to Aurora, Colorado. In 1960 their second son Steven was born at the Fitzsimons Army base hospital. Dr. Van Dorpe worked at this hospital, was the on-call doctor at the time, and delivered his own son Steven on October 25, 1960! And, in 1961, George was awarded his State of Colorado license to practice medicine and opened a private practice.

Then, life became turbulent for the family in the early to mid-1960's. Medical careers would be put on hold, and there were to be some extreme peaks and valleys. Tragedy struck the family December 26, 1961, when little George III passed away from a heart defect. Blessings would soon return, though, when George and Gloria welcomed another wonderful son into the world. George A. Van Dorpe IV was born June 09, 1962, also born at the Fitzsimons Army medical hospital. Incredibly, Dr. Van Dorpe was again the on-call doctor who, for the second time, delivered his own son at birth!

Dr. Van Dorpe joined the Army Reserves in 1959. Late in 1962, he was sent to an Army M.A.S.H. unit in South Korea, while Gloria set aside her nursing to be a full-time mother of their now growing family. In 1964 George returned home and retired from military service. The family was then blessed with their last, beautiful child, Madelynne Claire Van Dorpe. Madelynne was born at St. Joseph's Hospital, in Denver, Colorado, on August 25, 1964.

Over the years and decades George and Gloria continually practiced medicine in Colorado. George had a private practice, was a general medicine doctor, and a trauma surgeon. He was an emergency room doctor, supervisor, and administrator. He was an accomplished orthopedic surgeon and resident at numerous institutions and hospitals, including the (then) St. Anthony's Hospital North, St. Anthony's Hospital Central, Denver General Hospital, and Fitzsimons Army Medical Hospital.

While George practiced medicine, Gloria kept up a loving home. The Van Dorpe clan have lived in various cities of Colorado, but primarily hail from Aurora. In 1976, George and Gloria bought a house in Aurora, Colorado, which is still a family home today. After their children had left home, Gloria re-entered the health care work force, still driven by her desire to care for others.

Then, struggles returned in the late 1990's, when George was diagnosed with multiple sclerosis and Gloria retired to begin primarily caring for him. Tragically, in 2010 Gloria was rendered a quadriplegic through a medical malpractice, and would remain bed-bound until her passing in 2025. In 2014 George was diagnosed with esophageal cancer and began treatment to fight this disease. While fighting for every minute, as he always had, George lost his final battle to multiple sclerosis and cancer in 2016.

George loved God, country and family. George loved every minute of life he had, and fought hard for all that he could get of it. He loved everyone, and lived a life helping all of those people that he could.

He is now with all of those who have gone before him, and are waiting to be with him. George is loved by so very many, and will be missed by so very many.

Please say a prayer of thanks to God for the grace that we have known through George. Pray in celebration of his life of service and what it has brought to us, and please emulate loving others as he did.

High Flight

Oh, I have slipped the surly bonds of Earth,

and danced the skies on laughter-silvered wings;

Sunward I’ve climbed, and joined the tumbling mirth of sun-split clouds,

-and done a hundred things.

You have not dreamed of - wheeled and soared and swung high in the sunlit silence.

Hov’ring there, I’ve chased the shouting wind along,

and flung my eager craft through footless halls of air …

Up, the long delirious, burning blue I’ve topped the windswept heights with easy grace.

Where never lark, or even eagle flew;

and, while with silent, lifting mind I’ve trod.

In the high, untrespassed sanctity of space, - Put out my hand and touched the face of God.